Foolproof pillowy soft homemade gnocchi made with nothing but leftover mashed potatoes, flour, an egg, and a pinch of salt. The perfect complement to a rich ragu or creamy sauce.
Prepare the potatoesIf you are starting with uncooked potatoes, then boil them in salted water until fork tender and mash them or put them through a potato ricer.
Mix the doughMix the mashed potatoes, flour, egg and salt until just combined. Mix them gently and don't overmix or the gnocchi won't be as soft. You don't want gluten formation.
Shape the doughCut the dough into 6 - 10 roughly even pieces. Gently roll out each piece into a long rope about 1 centimeter thick. Use a sharp knife to cut the ropes into pieces about the size of a large green olive.
Add the ridgeTo add a ridge to the dough, use a fork and gently press the tongs into the dough on the horizontal axis moving upwards, and then back down and across. it's like a gentle swiping motion across the dough. You can also use a ridged pasta board if you have one, or just gently press the fork down on the gnocchi being careful to produce a ridge without squishing them flat.
Cook the gnocchiBring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop the gnocchi in being careful not to crowd them. You can do them in batches or all at once, depending on the size of your pot. The gnocchi are ready once they bob up to the surface - about 2 minutes of cooking.
Butter or oilRemove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately olive oil or butter them so they don't stick together.